Glenn Kirschner – Judge Chutkan DENIES Trump’s motion seeking her removal from presiding over his case DC prosecution
Thom Hartmann – The Most Anti-Union President In History Wants To Use Working Americans As Props
Farron Balanced – Marjorie Taylor Greene Drafts Resolution To Declare War On Mexico
Puppet Regime – Who the Hell was That World Leader?
Tiny Puppy Thrown Out Like Trash Can’t Stop Kissing Her New Sisters
Beau – Let’s talk about Dallas, politics, and a change….
Yesterday, there were several stories from Colorado Public Radio which were tantalizing – a corrupt ex-sheriff and two top deputies getting charged with fraud (Nameless, as conscientious as you are about keeping up your continuing ed even though retired, I expect this would really piss you off) – A black woman who almost committed suicide under the pressure of racism interviewed for National Suicide Prevention Month – and a look at what a federal shutdown would mean for Colorado citizens, which would of course vary from state to state, but there would be similarities. But I just can’t bring myself to smother y’all in Colorado like that. I’ve linked to two of them here in case anyone is interested, and I’lll use the third Saturday, unless it isn’t needed any more, but I’m not holding my breath on that. (Also, I’ve made the holiday cartoon a live link to an article about the holiday.)
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Daily Beast – Here’s How Biden Can Be Pro-Labor and Pro-Electric Vehicles
Quote – President Joe Biden has a long history of union support. The moniker “union Joe” is drawn from Biden’s fiery speeches for organized labor, and his elevation of workers’ rights and fair wages. But that vocal support may run into conflict, as auto workers view Biden’s policy push for electric vehicles (EV) as a job killer that will quickly send American jobs overseas. The schism is real and the Biden campaign (up to this point) hasn’t come up with a strategy that eases the fears of auto workers. President “Union Joe” can’t run from this, he needs to address auto workers’ concerns head on…. Biden has to thread the needle of adapting much-needed innovation with the jobs of now (the future is here), while also maintaining an equitable workplace for auto workers.
Click through for full article. It’s a pity that this is necessary … but … it is. It seems to me mildly obvious that the best people – and by that I mean CEOS and boardrooms as well as unionized workers – to be building EVs are the people now building gasoline-fueled vehicles. But, clearly, that isn’t obvious to everyone.
In The Public Interest – My new [expletive deleted] book
Quote – Maybe the title seems a little out of character for In the Public Interest. We’re a think tank, after all! What, you might think, does this have to do with privatization? A lot, it turns out. It’s about how private interests have kept control over our most basic public goods, such as health, safe workplaces, economic security, clean air, safe food, and other things we all need to survive and thrive.
Click through for an overview. Donald Cohen of ITPI has, with two co-authors – written a book on – well – what the title says. And though this article is only a preview, there’s a lot in it already.
Food For Thought
Glenn Kirschner – Trump’s lawyers file foolish brief claiming Judge Chutkan can impose NO limits on Trump’s speech
The Lincoln Project – Last Week in the Republican Party – September 26, 2023
MSNBC – ‘Narcissistic, sociopath’: George Conway on why Trump’s Twitter banishment actually helped him
Ring of Fire – Newt Gingrich Blasts ‘Deranged’ Matt Gaetz For Being Stupid [let them fight]
Sweet cat is trying desperately to fit in, find a home
Beau – Let’s talk about Taylor Swift’s fans showing up….
Yesterday, in Tish James’s New York suit against the Trump Organization, both sides had filed a motion for summary judgment. Only the one for the plaintiff was granted, and the judge had some words for the defendant and his lawyers. Wonkette is just one of the sources by which those words are getting covered, but it may be the most snarky one (it’s on Substack).
https://www.wonkette.com/p/trump-just-got-the-corporate-death
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Crooks & Liars – It’s Time For A ‘Rural New Deal’
Quote – [I]n May, Fix Our House released an analysis arguing that “Congress lacks the incentive structure necessary to responsibly handle crucial tasks like raising the debt limit.” While “gerrymandering is a huge problem,” polarization is also an issue, as “rural voters are increasingly trending more to the right, and urban voters more to the left,” the Fix Our House report says. Members of Congress elected in uncompetitive districts fear primaries, so they focus on their voting base and refrain from working with “the enemy.” RUBI director Anthony Flaccavento said Tuesday that “the extreme political divide in our country robs rural communities of the resources and opportunities they need, while making it nearly impossible to address the biggest problems we face as a nation.”
Click through for more, including details on what such a deal would include. I don’t see it happening as long as there is a GQP majority in even one house. Another reason to vote the full ticket.
Democratic Underground (Brooklynite) – Booker Statement on Senator Robert Menendez
Quote – For nearly a decade, I’ve worked in the Senate alongside Senator Menendez. As New Jersey’s junior Senator, I imagine that I’ve had more professional experiences with him than most others…. Senator Menendez is again facing a federal indictment, one that contains shocking allegations of corruption and specific, disturbing details of wrongdoing. I’ve found the allegations hard to reconcile with the person I know…. There is, however, another higher standard for public officials, one not of criminal law but of common ideals…. Stepping down is not an admission of guilt but an acknowledgment that holding public office often demands tremendous sacrifices at great personal cost. Senator Menendez has made these sacrifices in the past to serve. And in this case he must do so again. I believe stepping down is best for those Senator Menendez has spent his life serving.
Click through for full statement (with link to Sen. Booker’s government site.) Wow. Now, THAT is how it’s done.
Food For Thought
Thing is, he is entitled to Secret Service protection (until and unlessCongess legislates otherwise.) The Secret Service has a legitimate interest in setting terms for his detention. You can talk 24/7/365 about why he should be locked up. But unless those discussions include the Secret Service, it ain’t gonna happen.
Glenn Kirschner – Trump threatens witness Gen. Milley; Trump should be revoked on release & detained pending trial
Farron Balanced – Trump Tells Republicans To Obstruct His Prosecutions Or Shut Down The Government
Robert Reich – Say Goodbye to Lousy, Low-Paying Jobs: The Benefits of a Jobs Guarantee
Armageddon Update – “Family Values”
Street dog starts living indoors. Guess the first thing he did.
Beau – Let’s talk about Missouri, change, and elections….
Yesterday was the day when my neighborhood actually had a day that was twelve hours zero minutes long. But that’s not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about trolls, what they did in 2016, what they are doing now (and I’m not at all sure we have learned anything.) I’d like to point out that in 2020, we didn’t see them in the same way they did in 2016 and are doing now – there wasn’t so much emphasis on dividing Democrats on our candidate – I don’t recall eeing any, actually. They may have realized it was futile, bcause it was clear that Democrats were united. They may have realized the only thing trying for division then would have accomplished would have been to show their hand. But now they have already been working for three years, and I deduce that they think they have a good shot at dividing us over Joe Biden’s age, as they did in 2016 over Hillary’s emails (but really over her gender.) But the fact that they are, and have been, doing this so early suggests that they want to see any andidate other than Biden – that he is the one they don’t think they can beat. We simply cannot allow it. In today’s short takes, you will learn something about their methods (in other words, what to look for) and something about what can be done. Both are old, but both are still valid – a refresher course in something this important can’t hurt. I do realize much of this is happening on social media, and most of us don’t use that. But people on Democratic Underground are starting to see some of it pop up there, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Daily Kos is having the same experience. And there are probably other sites where Democrats tend to congregate, and it’s easy to think you are reading a Democratic opinion when you aren’t.
Back then, there were a few memes bearing the message “There are only two choices on the ballot this year – democracy and fascism.” I was struck (and inspired) by what Colleen said in a comment the other day, and am going to work on possibly as many as four that say “There are only two choices on the ballot – democracy, and a living hell.” At least that avoids the use of “fascism” – a word which seems pretty clear to me, but about which enough people argue that is clearly isn’t as plain as I think it is. I’ll use some here as I make them, on days in October when I don’t have one already, and I strongly invite opinions as they unfold on which are better or worse and why.
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Russia’s ‘troll factory’ impersonates Americans to sow political chaos. How can the U.S. fight it?
This has both an audio file and a full transcript prepared by a human being.
How You Can Fight Russia’s Plans to Troll Americans During Campaign 2020
This is a straight print article. It highlights the multiple ways to sow division, not just among Democrats, but among all Americans. We cannot afford to be distracted.
Food For Thought
Glenn Kirschner – Donald Trump urges Republican to shut down government to STOP the prosecutions against him.
Thom Hartmann – Will You Vote For Puppy Killers? Why The GOP Is Betting On It
MSNBC – A general reporting to an unstable president’: Report exposes challenges for Milley under Trump
Farron Balanced – Terrified Trump Is Asking His Lawyers How Bad Prison Will Be For Him
Rescue Cat Lives In Liquor Store
Beau – Schumer, Tuberville, and turnarounds….
Yesterday, I decided that, before the week gets crazi(er), I would feature a couple of articles on disabilities. One is discouraging, but at least the more we know about it the better we can cope. The other is a pure feel-good story (although, like health care go-fund-me stories, it would feel better if the ADA were properly enforced so that this wasn’t needed. I am fortunate in that I can deal with my mobility issues myself everywhere I need to go. But there are a lot of places I can’t go because they are toxic to me with my allergies.) Then I ran into this story (more of an anecdote, really) and thought I would share. You can’t make this stuff up (But who would want to?)
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The 19th – Nearly half of women with disabilities report experiencing sexual harassment or assault at work, poll finds
Quote – The number [of women with disabilities], 48 percent, compares to 32 percent of women without disabilities who reported experiencing sexual assault or harassment at work…. SurveyMonkey did not reach enough nonbinary people with disabilities to break out in this poll. However, the poll did find elevated rates of sexual harassment and assault in the workplace for disabled men: 23 percent of disabled men reported experiencing sexual harassment or abuse in the workplace, compared with 11 percent of non-disabled men.
Click through for details. This is a poll which the 19th ran itself, using Survey Monkey, and that could affect its application to society in general. However, if one realizes that sexual assault is less about sex than it is about power, and that the disabled are more vulnerable to predators than the abled, it does make sense.
Wonkette (via Substack) – BeyHive Rises In Formation, Helps Disabled Fan See Beyoncé Concert
Quote – Jon Hetherington from Oregon has been a fan of Beyoncé since her Destiny’s Child years and was looking forward to finally seeing her in concert at her Renaissance World Tour in Seattle. However, on his Instagram a couple weeks ago, he’d expressed concerns after a difficult experience when he’d seen Janelle Monáe. Hetherington has cerebral palsy and uses an electric wheelchair. The accessible transportation service he’d used apparently claimed 9:30 p.m. was just too late to take him home and he was almost stranded for the night. “I’m tired of not having the access most people in my life do,” Hetherington posted on his liberatedbygaga account. “I’m tired of having to fit ableist standards because society wasn’t built to include people like me.”
Click through for full story. While this is both heartwarming, and also revealing of the kind of people who become fans of Beyoncé, it doesn’t actually address the difficulty which mobility presents to so many disaabled people that it’s the kind of disability we think of first. (Nor does it address the issues of people whose disabilities are not mobility related.)
Food For Thought
